Thursday 26 March 2015

Update Cleckheaton Literary Festival

Hi guys

Hope everyone is reading and writing well - I have been reading mostly last couple of weeks and ...

I have also helped and attended meetings for the forthcoming Cleckheaton Literary Festival.   This includes a council meeting last Thursday in which the event received funding so it is full steam ahead!  Alot to do in a short space of time.

We now have a Facebook page and a new Website where you can check out the events, the authors attending, and purchasee tickets.

So hurry over to:


www.litfestcleck.co.uk


Enjoy  speak soon.

Neil

Home - film review



Hi guys

Last weekend took my daughter to see Home - the new film from Dreamworks which from the trailers didn't excite me much but my daughter Bel wanted to see it badly.

I have to admit I really enjoyed it as it had some laugh out loud moments and the CG animation is one of Dreamworks best.  (Although you can't beat the classic Dreamworks Shrek films).

Home is the story of the clumsy alien Oh whose race the Boov conquer Earth after fleeing cowardly from the alien Gorg who chase them around the Universe (a brilliant reason for that which I didn't see coming. )

Oh accidently sends an e mail alerting the Gorg where they are and so goes on the run from his race meeting Tip - a girl hiding out from the Boov invasion and looking for her Mum who has been relocated to Australia with the rest of humanity.

Other than some of the ending the film is a little predictable and Rihanna voices Tip well.  Jim Parsons (Sheldon from Big Bang Theory) is good as Oh but listening to his nasally voice for over half an hour is annoying.


Overall - good film for the kids.    Score   7/10     Bels score  10/10

Monday 16 March 2015

RIP Sir Terry Pratchett - 28 April 1948 - 12 March 2015

 

All good things come to an end as the saying goes but in this case an extrodinary man has left the planet - sadly taken by DEATH - a great talent who will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by millions of fans.

12th March 2015 shook the literary world and geeks alike.

Sadly I will never get to meet TP now as he was on my bucket list of authors I wanted to meet as I have been a fan from the 80'S and 90's.

I admit I took a while to get into his Discworld novels when I was introduced to them by my mate Geoff in our School library.   He showed me The Color of Magic which I tried to start a few times but never got into (don't think I was smart enough to get the satirical humour).

Years later I started collecting Sci Fi and Fantasy books  through Sci Fi and Fantasy Book Club (the large TP trilogy books in photo I got from them.)
This is when I started to get into his novels Mort,  Hogfather although I always followed him through news and interviews in various Sci Fi magazines.

I remember the quickest book I have read which took about a week (yes I'm a slow reader as well as writer) was The Truth - a very funny book.

I also followed his fight with alzheimers which was sad to watch but he fought with dignity and even carried on with his writing.  In fact I think his output increased as he tried to get the stories out from under his famous hat and into shops for us to enjoy. 

Yes even though I haven't met Sir Terry Pratchett I will miss his influence he has had over the last 30 years on my reading and writing. 

My thoughts go out to his family including his daughter Rihanna. 

Look after him well DEATH.


March Update

Hi guys

Sorry been a while since I last posted on here - I really need to up my game and write and blog more or will never be a writer!

Haven't been up to much -  a bit of planning on a Sci fi story and my crime novel but that's all.

Have also been sitting in with the Cleckheaton Literary Festival group - hopefully will get funding shortly.

Tonight went to the Cleckheaton Writing Group which was very good - got good feedback from my zombie story and was a new member.

Well folks will keep blogging more frequently.

Speak soon

Happy reading and writing!

Neil

Sunday 1 March 2015

Cleckheaton Literary Festival update

Hi peeps

Hope your all fine haven't blogged for a while - not been up to much although the Cleckheaton Literary Festival is gaining momentum with a planned full line up including authors Andy Kershaw and Leigh Russell!

We are just waiting on funding now although we have a Website and Facebook and Twitter account.

The Facebook and Twitter links can be found on the website - the address is -

https://litfestcleck.wordpress.com

So go to the site and follow us (you may need to copy then paste link  above into browser).

Also the CWG have decided to bring out the Anthology after the festival due to time constraints so will be working on my story for it this week.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Neil